Top 10 Quarterbacks in the NFL Draft

SI Staff | May 7, 2014

Top 10 Quarterbacks in the NFL Draft /

Top 10 Quarterbacks in the NFL Draft

Teddy Bridgewater

Teddy Bridgewater is a mobile, intelligent, competitive player with outstanding field vision and the ability to make most NFL throws. Does he have a laser rocket arm? No, but he can throw on the run, off-balance and across his body accurately. He completed 71 percent of his passes in 2013, and threw for nearly 4,000 yards. Yes, his schedule of opponents wasn't daunting, but he still had to make those plays. <italics>Draft projection: Top 10</italics>

Johnny Manziel

Like most of the mobile quarterbacks who have taken the NFL by storm in the last few seasons, Johnny Manziel can make a compelling array of throws from outside the pocket and on the move. His pro day showed how much he has worked on his mechanics -- making an already quick release even more consistent. There's still work to be done, but it's encouraging that he sees what needs to be corrected -- and that he's made tangible improvements in a short time. <italics>Draft projection: Top 10</italics>

Blake Bortles

Blake Bortles was a bit of a hot name last season, when he helped engineer wins over Penn State, Louisville and Connecticut. He really hit the national radar when the Knights ruined Louisville's chance for a perfect season with a 38-35 win in a game in which they had been down 28-7 in the third quarter. But the crushes really started when draftniks broke down Bortles' tape after the season was done and saw the paradigm of what many believe the ultimate, optimal NFL quarterback to be -- a big (6-foot-5, 232 pounds) guy who can sling the ball downfield and make plays with his mobility. <italics>Draft projection: Top 10</italics>

Derek Carr

Derek Carr is the clubhouse leader in a lot of minds when the group of quarterbacks behind the Bridgewater/Manziel/Bortles trinity is discussed, and there's a lot to like about his game. He threw for some crazy numbers in 2013, leading the nation in passing attempts (454), passing yards (5,083) and touchdowns (50). Moreover, he's not just putting those stats up in a tricked-up offense -- Carr has the ability to drive the ball downfield to all areas of the field, and he can reset and do it on the run. <italics>Draft projection: Late Round 1-early Round 2</italics>

Zach Mettenberger

If Zach Mettenberger were entering the draft 25 years ago, he'd be a lead-pipe first-round prospect -- he has a classic delivery, good size for the position and can zing the ball into tight windows. The main issue is that he doesn't show a lot of mobility ? he's very much the old-school statue of a quarterback who needs a clean pocket for a long time to really make things happen. He'll have to have the right kind of system -- and protection -- to make that work in the NFL. <italics>Draft projection: Round 2-Round 3</italics>

AJ McCarron

AJ McCarron talks a good game regarding his mechanics and deep-ball ability. The tape, however, shows a reasonably mobile, reasonably strong-armed, reasonably talented quarterback who usually had gobs of time in the pocket due to outstanding offensive lines, and a quarterback who didn't generally have to pull games out without a lot of help. Most likely, he's a career backup and possible spot starter at the NFL level. <italics>Draft projection: Round 2-Round 3</italics>

Jimmy Garoppolo

Jimmy Garoppolo, who broke most of Tony Romo's records at their alma mater, Eastern Illinois, got himself on the map with a strong Senior Bowl week. This led some to speculate that like Romo, Garoppolo could be a sneaky underrated prospect made for NFL success. However, a hard look at his tape reveals a fundamental flaw that will either delay or destroy that hope -- not only does Garoppolo get jittery and balky in the pocket under pressure; but also he bails and leaves plays on the field when he even perceives pressure. If he can get that sorted out, Garoppolo has the skillset to become a medium-grade NFL asset. <italics>Draft projection: Round 2-Round 3</italics>

Tom Savage

Tom Savage, who transferred from Rutgers to Arizona and finally landed at Pitt to play in 2013, is a classic dropback passer with an outstanding arm, He doesn't throw the same type of pass consistently from game to game, he's erratic on the run and he's prone to unravel under pressure. Anyone looking for a Derek Anderson-style developmental prospect could do a lot worse. Anyone looking for a sleeper second-round talent might be panning for fool's gold. <italics>Draft projection: Round 4</italics>

Aaron Murray

Tony Dungy has all sorts of love for Aaron Murray -- in 2012, he claimed that Murray would be the No. 1 prospect in the 2013 draft if he made himself eligible, and he recently said that Murray will have a Russell Wilson-style impact in the NFL. We don't quite agree with the former Buccaneers and Colts head coach, but there are some things to like about Murray's game. A knee injury last November cut his 2013 season short, but Murray still managed to set SEC career-records for total yards (13,155), touchdown passes (121), total offense (13,562) and completions (921). He's a high-quality individual by all accounts, and he presents a nice combination of arm strength and mobility. Size and injury concerns, not to mention a pretty obvious ceiling, may limit Murray as a prospect. But in the right situation, he might just surprise and become a starter at some point. <italics>Draft projection: Round 4-Round 5</italics>

David Fales

David Fales has been around -- he started his collegiate career at Nevada, but didn't see a good fit with the running quarterback paradigm. After two JUCO seasons at Monterey Peninsula College and a short stop at Wyoming, he finally landed at San Jose State with a bang. Fales completed a nation's best 72.5 percent of his passes in 2012, and posted his second straight 4,000-yard season for the Spartans last season. Fales is a good overall quarterback who has obvious issues with arm strength and throwing mechanics on the run. He's probably going to be a high-quality backup. <italics>Draft projection: Round 5</italics> <bold>GALLERY: Top 10 Running Backs in the NFL Draft</bold> <bold>GALLERY: Top 10 Wide Receivers in the NFL Draft</bold> <bold>GALLERY: Top 10 Tight Ends in the NFL Draft</bold> <bold>GALLERY: Top 10 Tackles in the NFL Draft</bold> <bold>GALLERY: Top 10 Guards in the NFL Draft</bold> <bold>GALLERY: Top 10 Centers in the NFL Draft</bold>

Published May 7, 2014

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